Prague|Study Abroad Pt. 1

Last year, February 2022, I left Aberdeen for Prague, Czech Republic. Officially through the Turing Scheme (post-Brexit Erasmus). I decided to go study abroad to explore a new culture, their art scene and see what a different art school would have to offer. My choice of destination: Prague. Why? I was torn between Prague and Canada as in part I wanted to travel, and maybe visit distant relatives. However, Prague offered Figural sculpture and traditional means of working was what I was drawn to. Being Polish, I knew learning the language would be a lot easier also.

First thoughts of Prague: Gorgeous. Just absolutely gorgeous. The architecture was what fascinated me most in the first moments.

Akademie výtvarných umění v Praze (Academy of Fine Arts in Prague) first thoughts: Huge range between traditional forms of making and contemporary. Art school, which looked like an art school. The very first day I met my studio professor I realised this experience was going to be a lot different from what I was expecting. He came and asked what I wanted to do… I was shocked as I was hoping to be taught. Literally, taught as this was what I felt I lacked from Gray’s. So I said, “I don’t know. Teach me…”. Don’t think that is what he expected either.

Classes I did have: Czech language, Drawing, Art in Bohemia and Printmaking. But more about those in a while.

It took me a while, maybe over a month, to know what I was doing. I knew I wanted to go large and work with wood for my main projects. However, I truly wanted to learn to work with a model, in clay. I managed to befriend some of the local students from the studio and this was my saving grace. Most of them spoke English quite well, but if there was something they didn’t know we’d manage in Czech. The students were the ones that helped me get set up and so I joined one of them to do a 1:1 bust (dream come true). When a model was arranged for a full-body nude, my professor told me to get set up too (to be honest, I thought he had forgotten I wanted to do so. The professors were in mostly on Tuesdays so I didn’t see them often – there were two other assistant professors (one that did not speak a word of English and so would take me by the hand and point and speak to me in Czech and surprisingly I would understand 99% of it).

When I asked for a chainsaw, someone helped me with that. Then someone else lent me their electric saw. They helped me get things done, whatever I wanted to.

One big thing I did miss from Gray’s was the tutorials and group crits. In AVU we didn’t talk much about our projects, the contextual and critical research the meanings and ideas. I work through talking about my ideas, so being unable to do that was a challenge at times. However, with time I did find some people to talk to about my ideas.

Now, my main problem: I discovered social anxiety at a new level. I was terrified to go to school some days. I was unsure of what I wanted to do, what I could and how to ask for help. I saw that my level of skill was much higher than mine, and despite being 3rd year I was in the position of a first. This cut my confidence in half. That is why it took me a long time to truly work. But even then, I was scared of being judged and of failing. This, of course, did not happen.

Beer helped.

Gabi